Monday, February 12, 2007

Oh and the Earth wasn't created in 7 days.

Is the Earth billions of year’s old or only six thousands years old? Any sane, educated person would say the Earth is billions of years old. Any sane and educated person would say that we evolved over millions of years, and yet why does the United States have groups of people who still claim that evolution is a fraud and that we all came from Adam and Eve? For a nation that used to be the leader in most forms of science, research and technology, it shocks me more and more how this country is falling behind because of this need to hold onto this belief.

I went to Catholic school and I was required to take religion as one of my classes. I remember something that my grade 8 teacher told me. He told me that the story of Adam and Eve was created to give us a sense of a beginning. That Adam and Eve didn’t exist in the way that it was written in The Bible. Basically we should not take it literally. I also remember having a conversation that same year with my science teacher about this and asked his view (remember, I went to a Catholic school), and he told be that the theory of evolution is correct, however things are too perfect and perhaps God has a hand in guiding out evolution. This is something that I have believed in my whole life. Personally I believe this is a good balance between the two set of beliefs.

Today I read the news story about some people who still believe that we have only been on Earth for six thousand years and that Adam and Eve were real? I keep asking myself, what is wrong with these people? Why are they clinging to this story as fact? What really troubles me is the fact that they are calling Darwin’s theories as lies and that he was delusional? So when are they going to burn him at the stake? Why are people from the 21st century acting like people from the dark ages?

What I find amusing is that because of these people and how they cling to their beliefs, they as a result, they are starting to hold back innovation and research in the U.S. in such sciences as Stem cell research, and the poster boy for these people, George W Bush, is the reason why they are falling behind. Oh and before people start say saying it’s a Republican vs. Democrat thing, Nancy Reagan has been a large proponent of Stem Cell research for some time now.

While there are some people across the border who’s dedication towards these beliefs has lead them to question their sanity or their true intentions, I wouldn’t go as far as Chris Hedges, who feels that there is a small group of people who want to turn the US into a Christian Fascist state. It’s his arguments that make me feel, perhaps we should keep an eye on these guys.

Basically, if you want to believe in the boogieman, then go ahead, but don’t force the boogieman beliefs on me. Oh also, I’m keeping my eye on you people.